- Most recently with the Edmonton Eskimos, the Hudson, QC, native takes
time off from football to find love on the popular Bachelor franchise -- Bio, photography and fun facts available atwww.rogersmediatv.ca - - Bachelorettes and Host to be revealed over the coming months -

TORONTO, May 1, 2012 /CNW/ - Following weeks of viewer excitement and
fervent speculation, Citytv announced today that 28-year-old CFL wide
receiver Brad Smith is now the country's most eligible bachelor, and
will star as 'the bachelor' on The Bachelor Canada, premiering this fall on Citytv. The highly-anticipated announcement
was made earlier this morning on Breakfast Television, Rogers Radio stations across the country, and BachelorCanada.ca.

Smith, who grew up in small-town Hudson, QC, graduated from Queen's
University in Kingston, ON, and went on to enjoy a successful career as
a wide receiver with the Montreal Alouettes (2007), Toronto Argonauts
(2007-2009), and Edmonton Eskimos (2010-2011). Currently a free agent,
Smith is taking time off from sports to find true love. After living
out his childhood dream on the football field, the charismatic bachelor
is ready to settle down and find his soulmate, taking Canada along on
his romantic journey.

"I'm extremely honoured to be chosen as Canada's first bachelor. I take
this experience very seriously, and I truly believe in the process,"
said Brad Smith. "I can't wait to meet all the wonderful Canadian women
who have put their lives on hold to experience all of this with me. I
hope I can live up to their expectations, as I know they'll absolutely
exceed mine."

Driven, confident, candid and comfortable in his own skin, Smith, who
now makes Toronto his home, is looking to find the right woman who will
complement both his fun-loving personality and active lifestyle. He is
attracted to women who are independent, intelligent, and just as
confident in a ponytail, sweatpants and sweatshirt as they are all
dressed up for a night out on the town.

"Brad is the full package - a quintessentially Canadian, down-to-earth
man," said Claire Freeland, Director of Original Programming, Rogers
Media, and Executive Producer of The Bachelor Canada. "He is completely committed to this experience and in it for the right
reasons. It's Canada's turn to find love with The Bachelor Canada and
we could not have hoped for a more well-rounded and genuine person to
kick off the first season."

Off the football field, Smith values time with his family and friends
more than anything, and looks up to his father, the Honourable Senator
Larry Smith - former CFL Commissioner and former President and CEO of
the Montreal Alouettes - as both a leader and a role model. His
parents' loving and committed relationship is an inspiration to him, as
they prepare to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary this year.

Footage of this morning's bachelor reveal on Breakfast Television will be available at BachelorCanada.ca. Additionally, beginning at 12 noon ET today, this clip will also be
available via an embeddable customized video player. To obtain the
embed code, please see media contacts at the end of this release.

With casting now complete, production on the nine-episode, original
reality series is currently underway. The Bachelor Canada will premiere on Citytv this fall. Additional details, including the
identity of host and the 25 bachelorettes, will be announced at a later
date.

The Bachelor Canada is the Canadian version of the perennially successful The Bachelor franchise on Citytv and OMNI Television. The series is produced by
multiple award-winning Force Four Entertainment. Sean De Vries is the
supervising producer, Joyce Sawa is the series producer and John
Ritchie serves as executive producer for the series. Claire Freeland is
the director of original programming for Rogers Media and an executive
producer of The Bachelor Canada.

About Force Four Entertainment Inc.
Vancouver-based Force Four Entertainment is one of Canada's most
successful and respected television production companies. Since
beginning operations in 1983, Force Four has produced more than 300
hours of primetime broadcast programming. The company's highly
successful television programs include lifestyle, documentary, and
scripted programming that is sold and aired around the world including
the Gemini Award-winning W Network series, The Cupcake Girls, and the
CBC series, Village On A Diet. Force Four has been awarded the
prestigious Peabody Award, 11 Gemini Awards and over 25 Gemini
nominations, and is owned by President Rob Bromley, Executive Producer
John Ritchie, and Director of Business Affairs Gillian Lowrey. For more
information, visit: www.forcefour.com

About Citytv
Citytv™ television stations in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and
Winnipeg offer viewers intensely-local, urban-oriented,
culturally-diverse television programming. A distinct alternative to
other conventional television stations, Citytv engages its viewers with
dynamic on-air personalities and delivers an entertaining mix of news,
local-interactive formats such as: Breakfast Television and CityLine;
as well as local Canadian and US acquired prime time entertainment
programming. Citytv is a part of Rogers Broadcasting Limited, a
division of Rogers Communications Inc. (TSX: RCI and NYSE: RCI) which
is a diversified Canadian communications and media company. For more
information on Citytv stations and programming, visit www.Citytv.com.